OMAHA (DTN) -- Researchers have found that an enzyme discovered more than a decade ago can digest cellulose in cellulosic-ethanol feedstocks such as switch grass, corn stover and wheat straw, twice as fast as any enzyme currently on the commercial market, a scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory said.

While researchers have continued to make discoveries that have led to improved cellulosic-ethanol production volumes at demonstration and pilot-scale plants in recent years, the enzyme CelA has the potential to be a game changer, the lead researcher on the NREL discovery told DTN.

Roman Brunecky, NREL ...

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